Common Lisp is a multi-paradigm programming language in the Lisp language family. It is available in a variety of implementations (see Common Lisp implementation) that provide deployment options on platforms ranging from embedded systems to supercomputer clusters. Because Common Lisp provides the possibility for high-performance and dynamic code, it is used both for system programming, application programming, and as a scripting language.

Common Lisp is standardized by ANSI as ANSI INCITS 226-1994 (R2004), formerly known as X3.226-1994 (R1999), and sometimes refered to as X3J13, the name of the ANSI standardization committee. A hypertext version of the Common Lisp standard was made available by Kent Pitman as the CLHS.